9 Best Things to Do in Cheltenham

The Cheltenham Racecourse draws thousands of people every year to its lavish racing events. Cheltenham Festival, held every March, is a major fixture in the racing calendar, but there are race days throughout the season. Take a look at runners and riders in the Parade Ring, cheer on your horse from the Grandstand, or get close to the action in the Best Mate enclosure.

There are several bars and food trucks around, serving deli sandwiches, burgers, pizza and award-winning pies. On non-race days, the club has guided tours of its grounds which includes access to the stables, executive boxes and racecourse. The Centaur auditorium hosts concerts and other performances – it's also the venue for the annual Wychwood Music Festival.

The Holst Birthplace Museum occupies the house where composer Gustav Holst spent his childhood. Celebrating his work and life in Victorian England, the rooms are preserved as they would have been in the late 19th century, complete with period furniture, ceramics and paintings. There's also a wealth of Holst's personal possessions, including his sheet music and the piano on which he composed The Planets.

The museum's Victorian kitchen has a working coal-fired range. It hosts the popular 'Bake Back in Time' events, where you cook using authentic Victorian techniques. There are also kid's craft sessions, lectures, dance performances and a selection of concerts – sometimes even using Holst's own piano.

The charming historic streets of Montpellier are home to an assortment of independent shops. The Union Project and L'una Design both sell gorgeous homeware, while shops like Beatrice Von Tresckow and Dori Pierre offer stylish clothing choices. Try RJ Spicer for unique contemporary jewelry or Bakers Fine Jewelry for something more traditional.

Once you're all shopped out, take a break at Ivy Montpellier Brasserie, which serves modern British fare in a beautiful domed rotunda, or try the consummate selection of wines and whiskeys at Montpellier Wine Bar and John Gordon's. Montpellier Gardens is the peaceful focus of the area, which has a pleasant café and a gallery featuring works by local artists.

The Brewery Quarter is a former 18th-century brewery that's become an entertainment hub filled with shops, restaurants and bars. Recognizable retail names include Urban Outfitters and Luke 1977, while food choices range from buffet-style Asian food at The Real China to Chiquito's moreish Tex-Mex and succulent British steaks at Son of Steak.

Catch the latest movie releases at Cineworld, where IMAX and 4DX screens provide a completely immersive experience. Go bowling, play pool or dine in an old Cadillac at Hollywood Bowl, or take the kids to enjoy the ball pit and soft play neighborhoods at The Play Farm. Mr Mulligan's crazy golf courses will take you through deep jungles, historic ruins and 2 dazzling rooms of UV lights.

The oldest surviving building in Cheltenham, the Minster was built in the 11th century and has remained in almost continual use ever since. Interesting architectural features worth a closer look include the 14th-century broach spire, and the canopied stone basin near the altar, one of the largest in England. The Victorian rose window is particularly lovely and features depictions of biblical parables.

There are several interesting wall memorials, including a 17th-century inscription by John English to his wife and a tribute to architect DJ Humphris. Classical music concerts and other events are held in the Cheltenham Minster throughout the year.

Part art gallery, part museum, the Wilson focuses on arts and design and local Cheltenham life. The gallery side includes a world-class collection of Arts and Crafts jewelry, ceramics and textiles, including a table made by William Morris. Other highlights are an extensive collection of 17th-century Dutch paintings, medieval floor tiles, and Chinese ceramics from the Tang Dynasty.

On the museum's side, you'll find numerous exhibitions on Cheltenham's social history and its status as a fashionable spa town during the Regency. The Wilson is named after Cheltenham-born polar explorer Edward Wilson, and there's a fascinating section on his role in 2 of Captain Scott's Antarctic expeditions, including gear and scientific samples collected on the mission.

The historic buildings and sidewalk seating on the tree-lined streets of the Promenade make it a wonderful place to have afternoon tea. Start at Huffkins Cheltenham, a terrific bakery which makes delicious cakes and pastries, as well as lardy cake, a local delicacy. Head to Memsahib Gin & Tea Bar for a late afternoon tea or early drink with tasty Indian snacks, specialty teas and a long list of gins.

The Queen's Hotel at the south end of the Promenade offers an elegant afternoon tea with poached salmon and cream cheese sandwiches, clementine mousse and chocolate ganache. Equally delicious is tea at Hotel No. 131, with its freshly baked fruit scones, Jersey cream and English strawberry jelly.

Enjoy a picturesque trip through the Cotswolds on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railroad, a heritage railroad line first opened in 1906. The journey takes you through pretty villages and valleys, with views across the Malvern Hills and the Vale of Evesham. Sign up for a day course and you can even learn to drive one of the trains.

The steam and diesel locomotives date from between 1919 and the 1960s and have been fully restored in period style, along with accompanying carriages. A catering automobile serving tea, coffee and bottles of the locally brewed Rail Ale is available on all trains. Some also have a 1950s-style restaurant buffet automobile that serves bacon rolls and cakes.

Everyman Theater was first opened in 1891 and features a lavish auditorium decorated with frescoes of cherubs and gold curlicues. A refurbishment in 2011 restored many original features, including the theatre's beautiful Scagliola marble. The venue hosts operas and plays, along with dance performances, comedy nights and the ever-popular annual pantomime.

Recent hits have included a production of Dial M for Murder, a musical version of Sleepy Hollow, and the exuberant children's show Giraffes Can't Dance. The Circle Bar on the first floor has a fine menu of wines and whiskeys, while bright and airy Matcham's Restaurant on the 2nd floor serves 2-course meals before evening performances.